Friday, May 29, 2009

I read this book on the plane to and from Denver. It's a young adult book I first read in a children's literature class in college. It's a Newbery Award Winner. It's about a girl driving across country with her grandparents to Lewiston, Idaho. She is telling her grandparents a story about her friend, while at the same time discovering her own story. I like it, it's easy to read and has some good messages to it.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Hi, this is Regan. A few months ago Hadyn and I wanted to watch the Narnia movie, but we had to read the book first. So we started reading the Narnia books. When we were done with the second book, which is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we watched the movie. I liked the movie better than the book . The book is mostly about four kids. The kids' names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. My favorite people in the movie was the witch and the two girls, Lucy and Susan. Lucy discovers the wardrobe when they were playing hide-and-go-seek on a rainy day. She hided in the wardrobe and she met a half person/half goat , and the goat guy is Lucy's friend. Then the witch finds the half person/half goat and then he gets arrested. Lucy and her brothers and sister, Peter and Edmund and Susan, helped Lucy find Mr. Tumnus (that's the half person/half goat). I think you should read this because it's cool.

We are still reading the Narnia books. Right now we are in the middle of the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I like it because this mean kid, Eustace turns into a dragon because he was selfish. Eustace had a gold bracelet on, and when he turned into a dragon it got stuck on his arm, which was now a dragon leg, and Lucy wanted to help the dragon with the bracelet.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Note: These books are some that were given to Deb while we were there. Mostly children's books.

By Lensey Namioka, 1999. Great book! Informative, educational, interesting. Story of Arlen Tao, in China 1911, about traditions of that time. A young child in a high class family, Arlen has no experience with life outside their home. She is schooled at home, a marriage is arranged when she is 5, but her future mother-in-law is very disproving that they haven't bound her feet yet. Her older sister invites her into her rooms when the servants are washing her feet, and she sees for the first time what binding the feet means and refuses to let them do that to her. Her father takes her side. He realizes that times are changing and they need to move in that direction in their family. He also lets her go to a school for girls where she learns English and about the outside world. Of course, the marriage is cancelled since she isn't a proper girl anymore. Her father dies, an uncle takes over the family compound and refuses to pay for her schooling anymore, and basically kicks her out.

A lot of historical information, intriguing story, and a look into a culture we know almost nothing about. One of my favorites that I've read recently!

Newberry award book by Betsy Byars, published 1970. Says it's for ages 8-12. Story told by 14 year old girl, Sara who has a younger brother, Charlie. Charlie had a serious illness when he was 3 and it damaged his brain. He doesn't speak, and is behind developmentally. They and an older sister live with an Aunt. Their Dad works in another town and and comes home occasionally.

In the spring, swans come to a small lake nearby for a short time each year. Sara and Charlie walk down to the lake to watch them and Charlie is fascinated by them. That night Charlie disappears. Touching story about the entire town trying to find Charlie, and Sara's emotions as she realizes how much she loves her brother, and finally accepts help from a boy she previously thinks is a jerk who helps her find Charlie. Touching story. Probably good for teens maybe up to 16.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

I finally got around to getting a Google account so I can join this group. Deb commented on Lemon Tart - definitely not the most scholarly piece, but a fun read anyway. I don't have a lot of free time, and I read late at night, or on trips, etc., and usually pick things that are pretty light. More later on the recent books I've read.